Sliced Radishes with Horseradish-Buttermilk Dip

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I was particularly excited to stumble upon this week's first recipe in the April issue of Country Living Magazine. Country Living is not necessarily my style but as I glanced through the issue, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the recipes I came across. I have become a true radish fan this year and I have always loved horseradish so this dish was immediately appealing. I started out with the intention of using both red radishes and watermelon radishes but soon discovered that watermelon radishes are a specialty item in Seattle. They are sometimes offered at various Seattle Farmer's Markets or at Pike's Place Market but even the gourmet markets in West Seattle do not carry them. One of the produce specialists at Metropolitan Market told me that they have tried to carry watermelon radishes in the past but there was little to no demand for the item. It's really a shame because they are a beautiful vegetable.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/3 cup grated horseradish or prepared, drained

2 green onions (white and green parts only) chopped

2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound radishes (such as Cherry Belle and Watermelon), sliced

In medium bowl, combine first eight ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with sliced radishes or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate. If making dip more than 8 hours in advance, add garlic just before serving, as its flavor becomes very strong over time.

Brad and I enjoyed this dish wholeheartedly. First of all, I used all high quality, organic ingredients with the exception of the buttermilk which was natural but not organic. I find that when I use high quality vinegars, oils and spices, my recipes really do turn out better. Fresh organic vegetables are also a must. The red radishes used in this recipe were sweet and crunchy with the perfect amount of bite. I was really excited to try fresh horseradish for the first time. I usually purchase all-natural horseradish in a jar but I really wanted to see if there was a big difference between fresh and prepared. Fresh horseradish is definitely the way to go but it is a lot of work to grate 1/3 cup. I was surprised because as I was grating, my eyes teared up more than they do when I am chopping fresh onion. If you need to clear your sinuses, grate some fresh horseradish and your mission will be quickly accomplished. I included a photo of fresh horseradish root just for fun. Isn't it interesting?

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

All in all, this is a beautiful and unique dish to prepare as an hors d'oeuvre or to keep in the refrigerator for a snack. The dip would work well with carrots and cucumbers as well but radishes really were the perfect accompaniment. This definitely makes my repeat recipe list.